Mumbai: Even as the Opposition parties are claiming that the Enforcement Directorate (EC) case registered against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar was a case of political vendetta, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesay said that the state government did not play any role in action taken against Pawar.

“Any person who understands politics will know that the state would not take any such steps. The ED doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the state government. The guilty will be punished. There is no question of action against those who are not guilty,” Mr Fadnavis said.

The ED has filed a money laundering case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Mr Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar and others in connection with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) embezzlement case.

The case has created a flutter in state politics with Opposition parties accusing the government of resorting to a ‘political witch-hunt’ against their leaders.

Mr Pawar also suggested that the case was politically motivated due to the ‘massive’ response generated by his poll rallies.

However, Mr Fadnavis said, “The state government doesn’t harbour any vindictiveness. The Bombay high court had directed registering the FIR against the accused directors of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank in the alleged corruption charges.”

He was speaking after attending a function in Vashi in the presence of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

The event was organised to mark the 86th birth anniversary of Mathadi leader Annasaheb Patil and the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Mathadi Act.

Mr Thackeray also dismissed the reports of political vendetta, saying Maharashtra’s culture does not allow acts of revenge. “Our culture allows us to put forth divergent views but does not forgive acts of revenge,” he said.